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Uses of paraffin

  • "Hot-Melt" adhesives
        They are a thermoplastic material, solid at room temperature which is applied molten and sticks to the surface on cooling. The strength of the instantaneous joint obtained has allowed high-speed machinery to be developed for its application in areas such as shoe manufacture, packaging, furniture or nappy or cigarette manufacturing.
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  • Agriculture
        In the fertiliser industry, paraffin waxes and special mixtures are used as anti-caking additives to simplify the handling, transport and dosing of fertilisers.
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  • Food
        Paraffin waxes are used in different kinds of foods, such as, for example, covering certain cheeses for surface protection or for producing gum base, a fundamental ingredient of chewing gum. It is also used on citrus and other fruit to improve moisture retention, extending its life and freshness and providing shine.
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  • Electrical and electronic applications
        They take advantage of the excellent insulating properties of paraffin wax.
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  • Rubber
        Paraffin wax is used as an additive in producing tyres, insulating them from ozone and avoiding cracks occurring in them.
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  • Matches
        The amount of paraffin wax applied to the surface of matches, although minimal, helps to regulate their burning.
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  • Cosmetics and pharmaceuticals
        Paraffin wax is used as an ingredient for lotions, pastes, creams, lipsticks and as a covering for tablets to protect their surface, delay the release of their contents and increase their shine.
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  • Textile industry
        Natural fibres contain substances with waxy properties that act as protective agents against atmospheric and biological influences. As they are fibres, these substances are eliminated and the friction and absorption characteristics that they provide are lost, resulting in a loss of softness, flexibility and elasticity, making it necessary to re-apply a suitable finish, provided by paraffin wax among others.
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  • Skiing and surfing material
        Paraffin wax is applied alone or mixed with other types of waxes for polishing the boards, both lubricating and protecting the surface.
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  • Paper and cardboard
        Waxed paper for wrapping foodstuffs is well known. Paper on its own does not sufficiently insulate the content, which means that its surface has to be coated with a material that provides an additional barrier to the passage of moisture, micro-organisms and odours and which conserves the aromas and flavours of the packaged products. Paraffin wax meets these requirements perfectly. On the other hand, corrugated cardboard packaging also needs a material such as paraffin wax to provide rigidity and insulation.
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  • Chipboard
        The worldwide high demand in recent decades for furniture and housing has caused a search for alternative material to timber. This search gave rise to the invention and development of chipboards, in which paraffin wax meets the need for a moisture repellent ensuring the rigidity of the boards and their moisture resistance.
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  • Surface protection, paints and varnishes
        Paraffin waxes are used as additives in the production of printing inks and varnishes to improve the resistance of the products to friction or scratching or to achieve a certain appearance and to act as a barrier to moisture. It is also used as a ligand material for enamels, lubricating agents, corrosion protection, etc.
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  • Candles
        The candle industry is one of the major sectors for the consumption of refined paraffin wax in the world, it being the preferred material for making candles. Moreover, despite the progressive diversification of wax applications, candle manufacture continues to be the destination of most paraffin wax produced throughout the world. It is a safe and natural product and its degree of refinement in the case of hydrotreated waxes is such that it complies with the strict requirements of the United States FDA for its use in food.
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  • Other uses
        Paraffin wax is also used in explosives manufacturing, VaselineTM, grafts or cork stoppers, among many more.
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